DEL’s Foundations counts down the required songs from Vincent Montana Jr.’s extensive discography.
Related: Foundations: Remember Vincent Montana, Jr.
It Looks Like Love
(’78) – Goody Goody – “#1 Dee Jay”, “Super Jock”, and “Bio-Rhythms” (which I loved) were actually the songs that charted (#16) but I agree with DJ Spinna who says, “I wore the grooves out on the album and “It Looks…” is one of my favorite dance classics of all time!
It’s Good for the Soul
(’76) The Salsoul Orchestra – THE… Walter Gibbons’ Mix is a text book example of a “journey within a song”! Same with the next …
Magic Bird of Fire (W. Gibbons’ Mix)/Getaway /Run Away
(’77; #3 Dance-Disco / #33 & #84 R&B charts) – The Salsoul Orchestra – A killer, Grammy nominated album that YOU MUST HAVE… seminal Philly!
Chicago Bus Stop (Ooh, I Love It)
(’75; #4 Dance-Disco chart)
The Salsoul Orchestra/Heavy Vibes
(’82; #1 Dance-Disco chart).
Montana Sextet/Ooh, I Love It (Love Break)
(’83; #19 Dance-Disco chart) – The Salsoul Orchestra – I linked these together because the unmistakable chord that evolved from ’75-’83 was just magic! Listen to “Paid in Full” and EPMD’s sample use. .
Salsoul Rainbow/You’re Just the Right Size
(’75; #4 Dance-Disco / #76 R&B charts) – The Salsoul Orchestra – From their first album, “… Rainbow” is full of conga goodness and “You’re…” has that “Do It Any Way You Wanna” chord.
Salsoul Hustle
(#44 R&B chart) – The intro will clearly inform you that this “secondary hit” was the result of a FULL ORCHESTRA, NO FAKE!
Nice ‘N’ Naasty/Don’t Beat Around the Bush
(’76; #3 Dance-Disco / #20 R&B charts) – The Salsoul Orchestra – That’s right – double “a” in NAAsty because it is! “Don’t Beat…” is a sleeper so be sure not to, “play around the disco bush”!
How High
(’79; #21 Dance-Disco / #66 R&B charts) – The Salsoul Orchestra f/ Cognac – Classic but lesser known Larry Levan remix was a club hit, that I always worked.
Seconds
(’82; #22 Dance-Disco chart) – The Salsoul Orchestra f/ Loleatta Holloway – Down tempo yet burnin’ with Loleatta’s third person scat the highlight!.
Who Needs Enemies (with Friends Like You)
(’83; #38 Dance-Disco chart) – Montana Sextet – Great dubby vox, hot percussion (of course), and guitar licks for days carry a Philly classic, ’80s-style.
Love Is You
(’77; #29 Dance-Disco chart) – Carol Williams – Album version is sexy R&B but Dimitri’s Mix is up-tempo hustle excellence.
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Take Some Time Out for Love
(’82; #46 Dance-Disco / #52 R&B charts) – The Salsoul Orchestra – Jocelyn Brown is the star in this mid-tempo plea for love & patience.
I Love Music
(’77; #3 Dance-Disco chart) – Montana – Covers can be “so-so” but not in this case, since Vince was part of the O’Jays OG!
Greatest Disco Hits – Music for Non-stop Dancing/My Salsoul
(’78/’02) – The Salsoul Orchestra – I usually hate pre-recorded mixes but these, ON VINYL, work! The first “disco blended” by the originator, Walter Gibbons, and the latter mixed by the contemporary edit master – Dimitri From Paris.
CLASSICS that Vince played on
ALL MFSB albums; “I Love Music”; “I’ll Always Love My Mama”; “Disco Inferno” (also arranged & conducted); “Armed and Extremely Dangerous”; “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”; “Love Train”; “Betcha By Golly Wow”; “Me and Mrs. Jones”; & “Expressway to Your Heart”.
Related: Foundations: Remember Vincent Montana, Jr.
Essentials: Foundations is a series published in print in each issue of 5 Magazine. This profile appeared in the May 2013 issue, which can be ordered here.
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